Spring clip



P. M. CAMIENER Feb. 11, 1941.

SPRING CLIP Filed Jan. 11, 1940 BB w Gttomegs y Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES SPRING CLIP Paul M. Camiener, Detroit, Mich., assi-gnor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a kcorporation of Delaware Application January 11, 1940, Serial No. 313,327

7 Claims.

A This invention relates to metal clips and has particular reference to a metal clip used in automobile production to hold a panel to a door,l

a conduit or wire to the chassis, or the like.

The particular novelty to the clip resides in making it of a single piece of metal with two spaced armsl The clip is suitably bent to form fingers at the tips of the arms and formed with wing parts intermediate the tip and the end of the clip. The clip is so constructed that its end may extend through an lopening with the flnger tips engaging one side of an object while the wings engage the other side at theopening edge. The arms on the clip are capable of being pressed together so that the wings may pass through an opening and then engage with the side of the object at the opening edge opposite to the side from which the clip was inserted.

A suitably shaped end part of the clip is adapted to hold alwire or conduit in place or to engage with the edge of the door to hold a panel in place.

On the drawing:

Figure l is a view of the rear face of the door showing the clip used to secure a panel in place.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of one of the clips as applied in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the clip.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through one of the side members of the chassis of an automotive vehicle, showing the clip applied to an opening dition, or in the condition in which they appear before the clip is to be applied. Referring to the drawing, the numeral 2 indicates the clip as a whole. The clip is formed of a single piece of metal and has the lateral arms 4 and 6 connected at one end by the transverse member 8. Both arms have the end portion I0 and the adjacent portion I2 bent at an angle to each other as is best seen in Figure 3. The part I2 forms one side of a loop or an arcuate part indicated as a whole at I4, the other side of the loop being indicated at I6. The side I6 of the loop I4 is substantially straight and beyond the straight portion I6, wings I8 are formed on the arms 4 and I.

Each wing I8 has the extension or projection 20 at the side thereof. Beyond the wings I8 the metal of the clip is bent at right angles to form the intermediate part 22 and beyond .the intermediate part the arms terminate in the iingers 24. Parts 22 and 24 are in parallel planes at the opposite side of the wings I8 as is best shown in Figure 3. Y

The application of the clip is best shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The opening 26, in a panel 28 or the like, is of sulicient length snugly to receive between its edges the side I6 of the loop I4 and the inter- 10 mediate part-22 at the nger end of the arms 4 and 6. The width of the openingv 26 is smaller than the distance between the sides 20 of the wings. In order to apply the clip, the arms 4 and 6 are bent toward each other a suflicient dis- 15 tance to enable the extensions 20 of the wings I8v to be pressed or forced through the'opening 26. The arms 4 and 6 are then allowed to expand which will cause the wings 20 to pass under the side 30 of the panel 28. The fingers 24, how- 20 ever, will be positioned on the opposite side 32 of the panel. With the wings 20 on one side of the panel, the fingers 24 on the other side, and the snug iit of the shoulders formed by the junction of parts I6 and 22 with the wings I8 in the open- 25 ing 26, there willy be a close and secure t in the opening 26. In the applied position .of the clip, `the side edge of the parts'IB and 22 preferably abut the edge. of the opening.

The loop I4, as shown in Figure 3, projects 30 upward and away from the panel 28 and the angle between parts III and I2 will be yieldingly pressed against the inwardly extending ange 32f formed on the door 34. The application of` the clip, as shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3. 35 will hold the panel 2ten the door 34.

In Figure 5 the clip 2 is the same as .that shown in Figure 4, but it is applied to an opening 36 in the frame or chassis 38 of an automotive vehicle. In the case of Figure 5, the clip 40 is used to hold a conduit 4U in place. The conduit is sprung under the inclined part I0 and is yieldingly held in the loop I4.

In Figures 6 and 7 a modication of the clip is shown. The clip is made of a single piece of 45 metal, but instead of having a part of the metal cut out to form the blank space S indicated in Figure 4, the clip has an opening 42 at one end and a split 44 is formed from the opening to the end of the clip. The clip is then spread apart as 50 indicated at 46 in Figure 7 so that the wings I8 and their projections 20 will be spaced a distance greater than the width of the opening to which the clip 1s applied.

In the same manner as is described in connec- 55 2 tion with the species of Figure 4, the arms la and 4b of the clip 2a are pinched together to enable the application of the wings I8 and their extensions 20 to the opening, When the wings are on the underside of the object in which the opening is formed, the arms la and 4b are released to allow the wings 20 to expand and become positioned against the face of the object at the margin of the opening,

I claim:

1.v In a clip to secure a. panel, a wire, or the like to anobjecasaidpanei having an opening toreceive the clip, two arms, means to connect the arms at one end-shoulders on the other end of the arms, said shoulders being spaced sumciently to enable -vthem' arms, saidwings projecting beyond the edges of the opening and iitting against the face of the object at the opening sides, fingers on theL ends of thearms, said fingers projecting beyond the edge of the opening and tting against the opening sides at the side opposite the wings, and means on the clip engaging the object to retain the panel on the object.

2. In a clip, two spaced arms interconnected at one end, wings formed on the free ends of the arms, said armsy adapted to be pressed toward each other to enable the wings to pass through an opening in an object, said arms respreading to their original position when the wings have been passed through the opening to enable the wings to engage with the face of an object at the edge of the opening, ngers formed on the ends of the armsbeyond the wings, said wings having a part adapted to engage the object at the opening edge on the side of the object not engaged by the wings, said wings and nngers being shaped to form shoulderswhich closely engage with the sides of the opening to hold the clip in place. Y'

3. In a clip, two spaced arms interconnected at one end, wings formed on the free ends of the arms, `said arms adapted to be pressed toward each-otherto enable lthewings to pass through an opening in an object, said arms respreading to their original position when the` wings `have been passed through the opening to enable the wings to enage with the faceof an object at the n edge of the opening, fingers formed on the ends of the armsbeyond the wings, said iingershaving apart adapted to engagethe object at the openclosely toiilt against the opposite.' t sides of the openingwings on the ends of the f ends of the arms, wings formed at the ends of the arms, said wings being at substantially right angles to the end of the arcuate part, ngers of angular shape formed on the tips of the arms, part of the fingers being parallel with the side of the arcuate part adjoining the wings, said clip adapted to fit into an opening with the wings .extending beyond the opening edge on one side of the object and the fingers extending beyond the opening edge at the other side of the object, the angles of said clip formed by the wings and fingers snugly tting into the opening.

5. In a clip made of a single piece of metal and formed with-two spaced arms, a wing and a finger formed on the end of each of the arms, shoulders at opposite ends of said wings, said shoulders adapted snugly to t into an opening -in an object, said fingers being in a plane parallel Ywith the plane of the wings, said arms being capable of being pressed together to enable the wings to pass through an opening, the arms being capable of spreading after the wings have passed through the opening to enable the wings to engage one side of the object at the margin of the opening, said fingers engaging the other side of the object at the opening edge to hold the clip in place.

6. In a clip made of a single piece of metal and formed with two spaced arms, a looped part formed intermediate each arm, said looped part adapted to hold a wire or other element, a wing part at substantially right angles to one side of said looped part, extensions on said Wing projecting beyond the sides of the arms, ngers on the ends of said arms, said fingers being angular in shape, the ends of said ngers being in a plane parallel with the plane of the wings.

7. In a clip, arms united at one end only, wings formed adjacent the free end of each arm, angularly shaped fingers at the tips of the arms, the ends of said fingers `being in a plane parallel with the piane of the wings.

' PAUL M. CAMIENER.

5 j ing edge on the i side of the object not engaged by l 

